Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to articles made of rubber compositions and more particularly to those having rubber compositions cured with a peroxide/sulfur curing system.
Description of the Related Art
It is desirable to provide rubber articles that have improved properties in abrasion resistance. Abrasion is the process of damaging or wearing away a material by rubbing, grinding or scraping the material against something else. By improving abrasion resistance, articles can be made to last longer and therefore be more cost efficient.
In addition to the reduction of the damage caused by wearing away the material being abraded, abrasion resistance can also improve the protection against thermal degradation and oxidation that may accompany abrasion damage due to the generation of heat resulting from the abrasion damage itself, i.e., the tearing and removal of the rubber material through the abrasion process.
Tire designers seek to improve the abrasion resistance of those parts of the tire that are on the outside of the tire and subject to abrasion, namely the tire, the bead toe, and the sidewalls. It is a goal for tire designers to find abrasion resistant rubber compositions that are useful for sidewall and rim protector applications and treads in particular. Treads are of course subjected to friction and rubbing as they rotate against a road surface and sidewalls are subjected to abrasion when, for example, they are unexpectedly rubbed against a curb or a road hazard. Bead toes are constantly in contact with the metal rim of the wheel and are also subjected to abrasion.